Device and method for attaching continuous zipper or slide fastener tapes to continuous strips of fabric



July 18, 1939.

E. FRESHMAN 2,166,350 DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ATTACHING CONTINUOUS ZIPPER OR SLIDE FASTENER TAPES TO CONTINUOUS STRIPS OF FABRIC Filed Feb. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR [iar/ F as/1mm? B ATTORN EY July 18, 1939. E FRESHMAN 2,166,350

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A TTACHING CONTINUOUS ZIPPER OR SLIDE FASTENER TAPES TO CONTINUOUS STRIPS OF FABRIC Filed Feb. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented July 18, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE .AND' METHOD FOR ATTACHING CONTINUOUS ZIPPER OR SLIDE FASTEN- ER TAPES TO CONTINUOUS STRIPS OF FABRIC Earl Freshman, Pottstown, Pa.

Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,130

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a device and method for attaching a. continuous zipper tape to a conzipper" tapes in locking engagement. The fabric or material used is preferably one with multiple layers.

The term zipper is used for the well known hookless or slide fastener, now in common use, which comprises pieces in a row adapted to interlock with mating pieces in a row.

The fabric or material with zipper tape attached is termed "zipper fabric herein. The product of the herein described method and device forms the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. l28,129,'filed Feb. 27, 1937.

The zipper fabric is used in ladies handbags for forming zipper pockets or compartments in said handbags. "Zipper pockets are also useful in other connections besides handbags,

Other objects and advantages will become ap- 25 parent upon a further study of the description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a section through the "zipper fabric before attachment of the zipper tape.

' Fig. 2 is a section through the zipper fabric before attachment of the zipper tape and shows one of the layers in separated position.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of "zipper fabric before attachment of the zipper tape.

Fig. 4 is a section througha pocket made up of two strips of fipper fabric, stitched at one end and connected by the "zipper at the other end.

Fig. 5 is a partial section through another modified form of zipper fabric.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a pocket made up of two rectangular strips of "zipper fabric, stitched together on three sides and showing the zipper" fasteners disconnected at the fourth.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a machine for continuously fastening "zipper tapes simultaneously to two strips of "zipper" fabric.

Fig. 8 is a partial section, to an enlarged scale, taken along the line ll of Fig. '7, showing the beginning of the guide for inserting the "zipper 50 tape between the layers of the "zipper" fabric.

Fig. 9 is a partial section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7 showing the middle portion of the guide for inserting the zipper" tape between the layers of the "zipper fabric.

.Fig. 10 is a partial section taken along the line (Cl. v112--2) "3 of Fig. 7 showing the end portion of the guide for inserting the zipper tape between the layers of the zipper fabric.

Fig. 11 is a partial section, to an enlarged scale, taken along the line ll--l| of Fig. 7 showing the beginning of the folding guides for folding over the edges of the zipper fabric.

Fig. 12 is a partial section to an enlarged scale taken along the line l2--l2 of. Fig. 7 through the folding guides toward their end.

Fig. 13 is a partial section toan enlarged scale taken along the line l3-i3 of Fig. 7 with the needles in lowered position, the shuttle mechanism being omitted.

Fig. 14 is a partial elevation to an enlarged scale showing a view of a needle, and the needle and zipper presser feet.

The zipper fabric, denoted in its entirety by the numeral I2, is composed of an upper layer l3 and a lower layer l4. Said layers may be of leather or of other soft flexible material, preferably textile fabric, usually silk. Interposed between said layers, where they are very soft as with silk, is a stiffening layer l5, preferably of the paper commonly used in the women's handbag art. Layer I5 is pasted to one of the silk layers, the layer M for example as shown in the drawings. The adhesive used should be a flexible one, such as rubber cement. The pasting is done for the entire extent of layer l5. While layer I5 is secured to layer l4, it is free from layer l3, as can be readily seen in Fig. 2. Layers l3 and H, which are preferably wider than layer l5, are pasted together at their portions of width beyond the edge of layer l5.

A modified form of zipper fabric is shown in Fig. 3, in which no filler or stiffening layer, such as layer I5 is used, the fabric layers 16 and I1 being free from each other except for the relatively small width at one end, where they are pasted together, as at H a width equal to the portions of the width of layers I3 and 14, Figs. 1 and 2, beyond layer l5.

As shown in Fig. 4, the free edges of the zipper fabric are folded back upon themselves and "zipper tape I8 is fastened between the folds by stitching I9. Layers I4 and I5 which are pasted together are folded back together and layer I3 is separately folded back.

It is present practice in women's handbags to have a pocket inside the bag as a separate compartment, such a pocket being shown as made up of my zipper fabric, but without the bag proper, in Figs. 4 and 6. In these figures, the two pieces of zipper fabric l2 used, are cut then shown, in which case it would come between the outer fabric layers l3 and M where they are held together at one edge as shown in Fig. 5. This construction is not as desirable as that of Fig. 2 because it causes greater bulkiness where two lengths of the zipper fabric l2 are stitched together as in Fig. 4 g

The fabric previously used for having the zipper" tape stitched to an edge, ordinarily consisted of the outer silk layers, such as layers l3 and I4 and a paper layer such as l5 between them, but all three layers were pasted together throughout their extent, and the extent of layer l5 equaled that of the outer layers, instead of being shorter as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Any two of the layers were separated for a short distance back from one edge of the strip and folded back after which the zipper tape was. stitched between them. .My fabric is especially constructed formaking it suitable for use in a mechanism, such as shown in Fig. 7, which mechanism feeds two strips of zipper" fabric with the two mating zipper tapes between them, folds over the edges of. the two strips of fabric and stitches the tapes between said folded over edges. It has been found that zipper fabric in which the layers are seperated only a short distance back from one edge for the folding of the layers and the i sertion and stitching of the zipper tape there etween is not so suitable for the mechanism shown in Fig. 7. Said mechanism operates more successfully on "zipper fabric of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2, fabric in which one of the layers is separable from the other two for the greater part of its width. The fabrics of Figs. 3 and 5 are also suitable, the layers being separable for the greater part of their depth.

The description above refers to the use of my zipper" fabric for pockets in ladies handbags, but of course it will be understood myfabric is suitable for use in connection with "zipper tapes in other types of pockets or sacks.

Referring now to Figs. 7 to 14 inclusive, which relate to the mechanism for fastening the zipper tapes to the zipper fabric, it will be seen that two rolls 2| of zipper" fabric l2 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 22. The fabric i2 passes from rolls 2| onto table 23. In so passing, each strip of fabric I2 is caused to pass over zipper" guides 24, Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10. A guide 24 comes within each strip of fabric, separating layers I4 and I5 which are fastened together, from loose layer l3. The cross-section of the zipper guide 24 at its beginning where the fab ric first is separated by it is shown in Fig. 8. Here the legs of the guide are folded together. They gradually separate toward the middle of the guide, assuming a substantially vertical position with the legs making an angle of degrees with each other in the middle portion, bending back the zipper fabric, as seen in Fig. 9, far enough to allow the entrance of zipper tapes l8 between the opposing strips of fabric l2. Zipper tapes it pass over roller 42 at the edge of table 23 as they feed in. From 180 degrees, the legs of the guide fold toward each other again as the end of the guide is reached, Fig. 10, with zipper tape l8 between.

The two mating zipper tapes l8 locked to gether are fed into the "zipper guides 24, Fig. 10. It is also to be noted that the zipper" fasteners 25 are mounted in lengths on continuous tapes at spaced intervals for a purpose explained later. Each length of fasteners is provided with its closure member 26.

With the zipper tapes l3 inserted between their layers, the strips of zipper" fabric l2 are led to U'shaped folding guides 21. There are two such guides in the machine, Figs. 7, 11 and 12. Each guide consists of a fiat plate bent over on 'itself with curled over ends 23 engaging the separated layers of the zipper fabric [2, engaging them in extended position as in Fig. 11, and as the fabric travels through the guides, curling and folding in the ends of the layers as in Fig. 12.

The upper portion of the bent over plate comprising a guide 21 is provided with a slot 38 near its outer end. A guide bar 39 is inserted between the upper and lower portions of said bent over plate. A thumb screw 40 is attached to guide bar 39 and extends through slot 38. Thumb screw 40 and slot 38 provide means for adjustably setting bar 39 to suit the width of fabric strip l2. By properly setting bars 39, fabric strip I 2 is held in curled over ends 28 of guides 21.

The two strips of fabric with their layers folded in and the "zipper tapes between them are then led to the double needle sewing head 29, Figs. 7, 13 and 14. They are passed over the usual sewing feed dogs 30 and under the presser feet 3|. Needles 32 are driven by well known sewing ma chine mechanism as well as feed dogs 30, which latter keep pulling the fabric and zipper tapes along as needles 32 produce the stitching. The shuttle mechanism is omitted from the drawing as its action and construction are well known to those versed in the sewing machine art. In addition to presser feet 3|, there is a third presser foot 33 for the "zipper" tapes l3. This is carried on presser feet 3| by means of bracket 34 extending between said feet. Attached to the upper part of bracket 34 is a housing 35 in which there is a helical spring 33 holding down presser foot 33. A lip 31 is provided for manually lifting up presser foot 33 against the action of spring 36. Table 23 is suitably slotted out to provide space for the guides and stitching mechanisms.

The two continuous strips of fabric i2 are stitched to the joined continuous zipper" tapes l8, forminga continuous strip of joined zipper fabric strips. The space provided between the lengths of zipper fasteners 25 on "zipper tapes "I permits of the cutting up of the continuous strip of joined zipper fabric strips into lengths suitable for applying stitching 20 to form a pocket such as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

The fabric l2 maybe marketed in several ways. It may be sold without the "zipper tapes l8, as

.in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to a bag manufacturer or others, who in turn will apply the "zipper tapes.

- The mating zipper tapes may be sewn to the two strips of fabric simultaneously as by a machine such as shown in Fig. '7, or a single zipper .tape l8 may be sewn to a single strip of fabric it.

As shown in the drawings, the strips of zipper fabric I2 are fed from the rolls through the mechanism with the silk layer it and stiffening layer t5 topmost, but the machine would also work if the strips were fed with these layers bottommost.

While the drawings and description disclose two opposed strips of multiple layer fabric joined by mating zipper" tapes locked together, it will be readily understood that a single strip of multiple layer fabric with one of the mating "zipper tapes attached can be produced as well.

I claim:

1. The method of attaching continuous mating zipper tapes to continuous strips of multiple layer material, which includes longitudinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other two strips of said material, separating layers of each strip at the edges thereof facing each other, feeding the zipper tapes joined together in locked engagement with each other into the space between the strips, the free edges of the joined tapes being caused to enter in between the layers of said strips where separated, and stitching through the layers of each strip with the tape between.

2. The method of attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes, joined together in looking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer fabric, which includes longitu dinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other said pair of strips, the clear distance between the strips being less than the Width out to out of the joined pair of tapes, pushing aside the edges of one of said pairs to allow the joined zipper tapes to feed between the fabric strips, effecting said latter feeding, separating layers of each fabric strip at the edgesthereof facing each other, causing the joined zipper tapes to have their free edges enter in between the layers of said strips where separated, and stitching through the layers of each strip with the tape between.

3. The method of attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes joined together in looking engagement to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer fabric, which includes longitudinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other said pair of strips, the clear distance between the strips being less than the width out to out of the joined pair of tapes, bending back and holding separate, layers of the fabric strips at the edges thereof opposing each other, said bending back widening the space between opposing layers of the strips, feeding in the joined pair of zipper tapes at said widened space, causing said tapes to have their free edges enter in between the layers of said strips where separated, and stitching through the layers of each strip and the tape between.

4. The method of producing mating pieces of multiple layer fabric, of predetermined length suitable for forming a pocket, attached to mating zipper" tapes joined together in locking engagement, which includes longitudinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other two continuous strips of said fabric, said strips each having layers extending free from each other to a distance back from one edge, the strips feeding in with the free edges opposite each other, separating said layers of each fabric strip at its free edge, feeding said joined together zipper tapes in between the opposing strips, causing the free edges of the joined tapes to enter in be-- tween the layers of said strips where separated, said tapes having lengths of zipper fasteners thereon at spaced intervals, stitching through the layers of each strip and the tape between, and then cutting transversely through strips and tapes at the spaces between said lengths.

5. The method of attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes joined together in looking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer fabric, which includes longitudinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other said pair of strips, the clear distance between the strips being less than the width out to out of the joined pair of tapes, bending aside the edges of one of said pairs to allow the joined zipper tapes to feed between the fabric strips, effecting said latter feeding, sepa-' rating-layers of each fabric strip at the edges thereof facing each other, causing the joined zipper tapes to have their free edges enter in between the layers of said strips where separated, folding in the edges of the layers at the edges of the strips facing each other, and stitching through the folded in layers of each strip and the tape between.

6. A device for attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes, joined together in looking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer fabric, each strip having layers extending free from each other to a distance back from one edge, comprising stitching mechanism for sewing the free edges of the joined tapes to the strips at their edges with free layers, means for feeding the joined tapes and the strips to the stitching mechanism, said strips being fed with their edges with the free layers facing each other, means for each strip causing the free edges of its layers to be separated, and means for leading the free edges of the joined tapes between the layers of the strips where separated, the stitching mechanism sewing through the layers of each strip with a free edge of the tapes between.

7. A device for attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes, joined together in looking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer fabric, each strip having layers extending free from each other to a distance back from one edge, comprising stitching mechanism for sewing the free edges of the joined tapes to the strips at their edges with free layers, means for feeding the joined tapes and the strips to the stitching mechanism, said strips being fed with their edges with the free layers facing each other, the clear distance between said latter edges beingless than the width out to out of the joined pair of tapes, guide means causing the edges of one of said pairs, as it feeds to the stitching mechanism, to be pushed aside, guide means causing the pair of joined zipper tapes to feet]. between the strips, guide means for each strip causing the free edges of its layers to be separated and a free edgeof the joined tapes to enter between as said tapes and strips are fed to the stitching mechanism, the stitching mechanism sewing through the layers of each strip with a free edge of the tapes between.

8. A device as claimed in claim 6 having a folder for each strip engaging the edge of the strip with the free layers, said folder folding in said edges, on their way to the stitching mechanism so that a free edge of the joined tapes lies in between the folded layers, the stitching mechanism sewing through the folded .in layers of each strip and the tape between.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7 in which the guide means causing the edges of one of the pairs to be pushed aside, by its shape and location bends said edges outward and backward sufficiently for the joined zipper tapes to feed in between the strips.

10. A device for attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes, joined together in locking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer material, each strip having layers extending free from each other to a dissaid latter edges, with a free edge of the tape between.

11. A device for attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper tapes, joined together in locking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer fabric, each strip having layers extending free from each other to a distance back from one edge, comprising means for feeding in the free edges of the joined "zipper tapes between the edges of the strips at the free layers, a stitching head having two spaced reciprocable needles, each needle being for stitching through the layers of each strip at said latter edges with a free edge of the tape between, a presser foot for holding down the'edge of the strip, with a free edge of the tape therein, at each needle, and a presser foot, between the needle presser feet, pressing down on the tapes on either side of their joined zipper fasteners.

12. A device for attaching a pair of continuous mating zipper" tapes, joined together in locking engagement, to a pair of continuous strips of multiple layer material, each strip having layersextending free from each other to a distance back from one edge, comprising stitching mechanism, means for feeding in the free edges of the joined zipper tapes between the edges of the strips at the freelayers, and means for folding in the free edges of the layers so that the zipper tapes reach the stitching mechanism with the free edges of the tapes between the folded in portions of the layers of the strips, said stitching mechanism stitching through the folded in layers of each strip with the tape between.

13. The method of attaching continuous mating joined together zipper tapes to continuous strips of multiple layer material, said strips each having layers extending free from each other for a distance back from one edge, which includes longitudinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other two of such strips with the free edges of the layers of one strip opposite the free edges of the layers of the other strip, feeding the joined zipper" tapes between the strips, then causing the free edges of the joined tapes to enter in between the layers of the strips at their free edges and stitching through the layers of each strip with the tape between.

14. The method of attaching continuous mating joined together zipper tapes to continuous strips of multiple layer material, said strips each having layers extending free from each other for a distance back from one edge, which includes longitudinally feeding in spaced relation and opposite each other two of such. strips with the free edges of the layers of one strip opposite the free edges of the layers of the other strip, feeding the joined zipper tapes between the strips, then causing the free edges of the joined tapes to enter in between the layers of the strips attheir free edges, folding the layers of each strip at their free edges into an upper and lower hem, and stitching through the layers of each strip at their herns with the tape between.

EARL FRESHMAN. 

